First Station -
Jesus Is
Condemned
To Death
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus, the most innocent of beings, is condemned to death, yes, to
the shameful death of the cross. In order to remain a friend of
Caesar, Pilate delivers Jesus into the hands of His enemies. O
fearful crime, to condemn Innocence to death and to displease God in
order to please men.
O innocent Jesus, * I have sinned and I am guilty of eternal
death; * but that I may Live, * Thou dost gladly accept the unjust
sentence of death. * For whom then shall I henceforth live * if not for
Thee, my Lord? * If I desire to please men, * I can not be Thy servant.
* Let me, therefore, rather displease the whole world * than not please
Thee, O Jesus!
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All
His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had passed.
Second Station -
Jesus Carries
His
Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
When our divine Redeemer beheld the Cross, He most willingly reached
out to it with His bleeding arms. He embraced it lovingly, kissed
it tenderly, took it on His bruised shoulders, and, exhausted as He was,
He carried it joyfully.
O my Jesus, * I can not be Thy friend and follower * if I
refuse to carry my cross. * O beloved cross, * I embrace Thee, * I kiss
Thee, * I joyfully accept Thee from the hand of my God. * Far be it from
me to glory in anything * save in the Cross of my Lord and Redeemer. *
By it the world shall be crucified to me, * and I to the world, * that I
may be Thine forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. O, how sad and sore distressed Was that
Mother, highly blest, Of the sole begotten One!
Third Station -
Jesus Falls
The First
Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Carrying the Cross, our dear Savior was so weakened with its heavy
weight that He fell exhausted to the ground. The Cross was light
and sweet to Him, but our sins made it so heavy and hard to carry.
Beloved Jesus, * Thou didst carry the burden and the heavy
weight of my sins. * Should I then not bear in union with Thee * my
light burden of suffering, * and accept the sweet yoke of Thy
commandments? * Thy yoke is sweet and Thy burden is light. * I willingly
accept it. * I will take up my cross and follow Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Christ above in torment hands: She
beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying glorious Son.
Fourth Station -
Jesus Meets
His Blessed
Mother
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
How sad and how painful must it have been for Mary to behold her
beloved Son laden with the Cross, covered with wounds and blood, and
driven through the streets by savage executioners! What
unspeakable pangs her most tender heart must have experienced! How
earnestly did she desire to die instead of Jesus, or at least with
Him!
O Jesus, * O Mary, * I am the cause of the pains that pierced
your hearts. * Would that my heart might experience some of your
sufferings. * O Mother, * let me share in thy sufferings and those of
they Son, * that I may obtain the grace of a happy death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Is there one who would not weep,
Whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ’s dear Mother to
behold?
Fifth Station -
Simon Of
Cyrene Helps
Jesus Carry
His Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Simon of Cyrene was forced to help our exhausted Savior carry His
Cross. How pleased would Jesus have been, had Simon offered his
services of his own accord. However, Simon was not invited by
Christ as you are. He says: "Take up your cross and follow
Me." Nevertheless you recoil, and carry it grudgingly.
O Jesus, * whosoever does not take up his cross and follow
Thee, * is not worthy of Thee. * Behold, I cheerfully join Thee on the
way of the cross. * I desire to carry it with all patience until death,
* that I may prove worthy of Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Can the human heart refrain From partaking in
her pain, In that Mother’s pain untold?
Sixth Station -
Veronica Wipes
The Face
Of Jesus
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, Veronica presents her veil to Jesus, to wipe His
disfigured face. He imprints on it His holy countenance, and
returns it to her as a recompense. Shall Christ reward you in like
manner? Then you too must do Him a service. But you do a
service to Christ every time you perform a work of mercy towards your
neighbor: for He says: "What you have done to the least of My
brethren, you have done to Me."
Dearest Jesus, * what return shall I make Thee for all Thy
benefits? * Behold, I consecrate myself entirely to Thy service. * My
whole heart I give to Thee; * stamp on it Thy holy image, * that I may
never forget Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld
her tender Child, All with bloody scourges rent.
Seventh Station -
Jesus Falls
The Second
Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Overwhelmed by the weight of the Cross, Jesus falls again to the
ground. But the cruel executioners do not permit Him to rest a
moment. With thrusts and blows they urge Him onward. With
what cruelty Jesus in treated and trampled under foot! Remember,
compassionate soul, that your sins caused Jesus this painful fall.
Have mercy on me, O Jesus, * and help me never to fall into my
former sins. * From this moment I will strive sincerely * never to sin
again. * But Thou, O Jesus, strengthen me with Thy grace, * that I may
faithfully carry out my resolution.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang
in desolation Till His spirit forth He sent.
Eighth Station -
Jesus Speaks
To The
Women Of
Jerusalem
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, these devoted women weep over our suffering
Savior. But He turns to them and says: "Weep not for Me, but
weep for yourselves and your children. Weep for your sins and
those of your children; for they are the cause of My
suffering." You also must weep over your sins, for there is
nothing more pleasing to our Lord and more useful to yourself than the
tears you shed out of contrition for your sins.
O Jesus, * who shall give my eyes a torrent of tears, * that I
may day and night weep over my sins? * I beseech Thee by Thy bitter and
bloody tears * to move my heart, * so that tears may flow in abundance
from my eyes, * and that I may weep over Thy sufferings * and over my
sins until death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. O thou Mother: font of love! Touch my spirit
from above, Make my heart with thine accord.
Ninth Station -
Jesus Falls
The Third
Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Exhausted at the foot of Calvary, Jesus falls for the third time to
the ground. How painfully must have been reopened all the wounds
of His tender body by these repeated falls. And how enormous must
my sins be, to cause Jesus to fall so painfully. Had not Jesus
taken my sins upon Himself, they would have plunged me into the abyss of
Hell.
Most merciful Jesus, * I return Thee a thousand thanks * for
not permitting me to die in my sins * and fall into the abyss of Hell, *
as I have deserved so often. * Enkindle in me a sincere desire to amend
my life. * Let me never again fall into sin, * but grant me the grace of
final perseverance.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Make me feel as thou has felt; Make my soul
to glow and melt, With the love of Christ my Lord.
Tenth Station -
Jesus Is
Stripped
Of His
Garments
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Arriving on Calvary, Jesus was cruelly deprived of His
garments. How painful the stripping must have been, because the
garments adhered to His mangled body, so that in removing them parts of
the flesh were torn away. Jesus is deprived of His garments that
He may die possessed of nothing. How happy shall not I die after
laying aside my evil habits and tendencies!
Help me, O Jesus, to amend my life. * Let it be renewed
according to Thy will and desire. * However painful the correction may
be to me, * I will not spare myself. * With the assistance of Thy grace,
* I will refrain from all sinful pleasure and vain amusement, * that I
may die happy and live forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Holy Mother, pierce me through; In my heart
each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified.
Eleventh Station -
Jesus Is
Nailed To
The Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Stripped of His garments, Jesus is violently thrown down on the
Cross. His hands and His feet are nailed to it in the most cruel
way. Jesus remains silent, because it so pleases His heavenly
Father. He suffers patiently, because He suffers for you.
How do you act in sufferings and trials? How fretful and
impatient, how full of complaints are you!
O Jesus, * meek and patient Lamb, * I renounce forever my
impatience. * Crucify, O Lord, my flesh, * with its evil desires and
vices. * Punish and afflict me in this life, * but spare me in the next.
* I resign myself altogether to Thy holy will. * May it be done in all
things.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Let me share with Thee His pain, Who for all
my sins was slain, Who for me in torment died.
Twelfth Station -
Jesus Dies
On The
Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Behold Jesus crucified! Behold His wounds received for love of
you! His whole appearance betokens love. His head is bent to
kiss you. His arms are extended to embrace you. His heart is
open to receive you. Oh what love! Jesus dies on the Cross,
to preserve you from eternal death.
Most lovable Jesus, * who will grant that I may die for love
of Thee? * I will endeavor to die to the world and its vanities * when I
behold Thee on the Cross * covered with wounds and crowned with thorns.
* Merciful Jesus, * take me into Thy wounded heart, * that I may despise
all perishable things, * to live and die for Thee alone.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him
who mourned for me, All the days that I may live.
Thirteenth Station -
Jesus Is
Taken Down
From The
Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus did not descend from the Cross, but remained on it till His
death. When taken down, He rested on the bosom of His beloved
Mother as He had so often done in life. Persevere in your good
resolutions, and do not flee from the cross. For he who perseveres
till the end shall be saved. Consider, moreover, how pure the
heart should be that receives the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the
adorable Sacrament of the Altar.
O Lord Jesus crucified! * I most earnestly entreat Thee: *
Help me do what is right * and let me not be separated from Thy Cross, *
for on it I desire to live and to die. * Create in me, O Lord, a clean
heart, * that I may worthily receive Thee in Holy Communion, and that
Thou mayest remain in me, * and I in Thee, * for all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. By the cross with thee to stay; There with
thee to weep and pray Is all I ask of thee to give.
Fourteenth
Station - Jesus
Is Laid
In The
Tomb
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
The body of Jesus is laid in a stranger’s tomb. He Who in
this world had not whereon to rest His head, would have no grave of His
own after death. You whose heart is still attached to this world,
despise it that you may not perish with it.
O Jesus, * Thou hast singled me out from the world, * what
then shall I seek in it? * Thou hast created me for Heaven, * what then
shall I desire upon earth? * Depart from me, deceitful world, with thy
vanities! Henceforth I will walk the way of the Cross * traced out
for me by my Redeemer, * and journey onward to my heavenly home, * where
my rest and my joy shall be forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond
request: Let me share thy grief divine.
